Star recruit … Former AFL player Marty Pask will be a key for Keilor in the EDFL this season. 31926 Picture: SARAH MATRAY
By Luke D’Anello
KEILOR coach Mick McGuane is hoping a pinch of luck can help his team take the next step in the Essendon District Football League (EDFL) A Grade competition.
After claiming the flag in 2008, the Blues have contested finals in two successive years without progressing to the season-decider.
Last year, Keilor was eliminated by eventual premier Maribyrnong Park in a sodden preliminary final contest.
Former Western Bulldogs, Brisbane and Werribee player Marty Pask will take to the field for the Blues this season, while other gains include 2008 Calder Cannons best-and-fairest Dylan Joyce, Williamstown VFL-listed player Josh Young, and West Coburg’s Andrew Nicholson.
McGuane is optimistic his Blues will further bolster their playing stocks before the new season kicks off.
“They’re four real good players, and we’ve got a couple of peripheral players that obviously we need to speak to and get signatures from, but they’re training with us at the moment. It’s up to them to commit and be a part of our system,” McGuane said. “We’re more than happy with who we’ve got because there’s some real quality amongst those four (recruits), and they’ll probably add to our group.
“Then you assess that you’re probably one straight kick shy of going to a grand final (last year). If conditions stayed sound in the preliminary final, who knows what the result would have been? We’ve been a little bit unlucky with a couple uncontrollables. We think we’ve got a very competitive team.”
McGuane said he was unsure on the availability of Bendigo Bombers pair James Papalia and Michael James.
Several of Keilor’s younger players are also training with Coburg.
Heading the Blues’ departures list is star ruckman Markham Johnson, who is headed overseas. On-baller Aaron Ramsey and Jake De Sousa have both crossed to Taylors Lakes, which will contest the top grade in 2011 after winning last season’s B Grade premiership.
“The core of our group that’s been there the last two or three years won’t change much if they’re willing and able again to commit for the next nine months,” McGuane said. “At the end of the day, we try our best to compete with the big boys. Our on-field stuff does it particularly well, but we’ve probably got to keep working on the off-field part to get a different type of revenue stream in so, when a good recruit comes along, we can compete with the other clubs that spend up big.”
McGuane said his players will resume training later this month.
